Justin Moore announces Ryman Auditorium concert

Nine years after Arkansas-based country singer Justin Moore released his first No. 1 hit, he revealed plans for his first headlining show in Nashville.

Moore, who landed in the spotlight in 2009 with “Small Town USA,” will play Ryman Auditorium May 2.

“It’s sentimental because I’m a huge fan of the tradition of country music,” said Moore, on a phone call during a family trip to the grocery store in Arkansas. “For me, playing the Ryman is more about that and all the people who have played there and what it’s meant to country music as a whole from generation to generation.”

In addition to “Small Town USA,” Moore has had hit songs including “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” “Somebody Else Will,” “You Look Like I Need a Drink,” “Til My Last Day” and his current radio single “Kinda Don’t Care.” Typically, Moore said, he plays venues at least twice the size of Ryman Auditorium. It was easy to make an exception for country music’s Mother Church.

“It’s cool to have a career where not only can you go play The Ryman for the Opry, but to have a career where you can say, ‘Yeah, we’re just going to go book the Ryman and play it, I’m really humbled by it,” the singer said.

Moore said he plans to play all of his hits during his concert, but also has plans to mix things up by revisiting popular album cuts from his previous projects. The setlist change was fueled by the realization that he wants to see his favorite artists sing all of their “old song" when he goes to shows.

"As artists, we get in a zone where we don't want to play anything but new stuff," he said. "But, it's been really fun for us to play these songs early on in our career but we haven't for five or six years. Fans are eating it up."

Another motivation, Moore said, is that he is almost finished writing his next album. For years, the singer has talked about releasing a ‘90s-country-flavored project. He says his next album will check that box. The songs from early in his career – like the new music he's writing – sound more traditional than his recent contemporary-leaning radio singles.

"We're trying to introduce that idea (to fans) on this tour in addition to playing all of our hits," he explained. "I'm pretty stoked about it. I've already written three waltzes. Right now (my next album) is going to be full of steel guitar and Telecaster, and I'm talking like Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence-type stuff. Hopefully, we don't mess it up."